### 20

You wake with a start and sit bolt upright. Your heart is pounding and your face is bathed in cold sweat. An unnatural chill pervades the room and it is emanating from the Eye of Agarash. The evil artefact was the cause of your traumatic nightmare and the residue of its awakened power now lingers in the chamber. The noise of explosions rings in your ears. At first you think it is a hangover from your nightmare until you see flashes of light at the window. The explosions are real.

Hurriedly, you put on your boots, backpack and cape and rush to the door. It opens as you approach it and you see Captain Jian Tzu running across the chapel towards you.

‘We’re under attack!’ he shouts, ‘They’re bombing the roof. You must leave at once!’

Jian Tzu turns on his heel and motions you to follow him. Chunks of masonry and plaster are falling from the chapel’s ceiling to smash on the pews and floor all around you. The Captain hurries to the altar and parts its silver cloth to reveal a trapdoor. He tugs it open and you follow him down an iron ladder bolted to the tower’s cellar wall. A secret passage leads to the cellar of a convent located opposite the North Gate. You leave this cellar by way of a flight of stone steps that ascend to the convent’s kitchen above. Jian Tzu unlocks and opens a door and you see the alleyway that runs alongside the convent. Fiery explosions and flashes of lightning illuminate the darkness of this narrow passage. You take a step from the doorway and look up into the storm-torn skies above. Amidst the roiling clouds are several large winged reptilians that are circling and diving on the roof of the Tower of Ishir. Shadowy riders cling to their backs. They hurl missiles at the tower roof before soaring away into the black clouds where they circle around before diving again. The explosive missiles that they cast down have already destroyed the icon of Ishir and much of the upper part of the tower, including the star chamber where you met with Jian Tzu, Herbwarden Zautro, and Lord Honos just a few hours ago.

You step back into the convent kitchen to keep from being seen by the winged creatures overhead. As you do so, the evil power of the Eye flares up and drains you of 3 ENDURANCE.

Turn to 238.